“Clear Your Head”

In Jiu Jitsu you are put under tremendous physical and mental pressure every time you step on the mat to train and sometimes a student will go through a period where they are feeling a little lost or down with their apparent(at least in their eyes) lack of progress.

One of the simplest things you can do to overcome this is to take 2-5 minutes of quiet time to clear your head, focus your mind and get you in a good head space or the zone so to speak before training. When your mind is clear and you are in a good head space it is much easier to focus and absorb the lesson.

So how do you clear your head you ask? Simple, start by taking just a few minutes (2-5mins) to sit or stand quietly, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Don’t try to control it as much as you just let your breath flow naturally in and out, relaxed and tranquil.. Breathe like this for a minute or two and really focus your attention on your breathing. Next take a minute or two to think about someone you really respect and admire in Jiu Jitsu. Think about why they inspire you and how you can strive to emulate them. Use their influence to ratchet up your motivation and inspire you to learn and get better! Finally take a minute to think about a basic principle that you wish to keep in mind during class that day such as “Base”, “Posture” or “Not Contesting Strength” etc. Imagine your self in class applying this principle and succeeding, moving better than you have ever moved before. Smile and enjoy the moment!

Now walk into class, leave your ego at the door and focus on learning while keeping in mind the principle you wish to work on for the day. If you find yourself getting frustrated at all, take a moment to close your eyes and remember the little meditation from earlier and use it to reframe and get your head back in the game! Try it and let me know how it works for you.